Going Green @ home.hasslers.net

Going Green

I've been trying to "be green", whatever that means. I feel like it's an outdated term, used by greenwashing corporations - maybe 'live sustainably' is better? It really can mean a number of things, but fundamentally I try to be a steward of the environment rather than an enemy of it. It means I'm trying to reduce my affect on the earth, reduce my pollution, reduce my carbon footprint, and reduce my waste.

What I've accomplished so far:

I have a 17 kW solar panel system on my house that supports most of my annual usage
I drive electric cars and ride an electric motorcycle (primarily)
I have an electric lawn mower and all-electric lawn equipment
I no longer own ANY gasoline engines
I have heat pumps that heat and cool my house and have done away with my oil furnace
I have a portable electric heater to use in my garage when needed, no more propane
I've automated my house, with automatic schedules and routines to make sure things are shut off when not needed
I have installed "electric logs" in my fireplaces, no longer burn wood or propane
I try to recycle as much as possible
I use power efficiently, with efficient appliances and 100% LED lighting
I have improved the efficiency of my house with good windows & doors, improved insulation, and efficient appliances
I use electric lighters instead of butane lighters for candles. Actually, now I use battery powered lights instead of candles.
I no longer directly burn any fossil fuels in my daily life

To me, going green means being efficient with energy usage, reducing waste, while eliminating fossil fuel usage.

#StopBurningStuff

Things I can still do better:

Have less stuff / buy less stuff - try to be less of a "consumer"
Keep things longer, repair rather than replace
Do more research on companies and products to inform my buying decisions
Consider sustainability of product packaging in purchases
Make changes to my diet

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Greg Hassler

Going Green